NEW DELHI:
A detailed list of names and addresses of nearly 1000 forest dwellers in Visakhapatnam district, who died recently due to dengue, malaria and anthrax, was submitted here on Tuesday by a delegation of Telugu Desam Party MPs to the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Justice A.R. Anand alleging gross neglect by the State Government.

The TDP Parliamentary Party leader Yerran Naidu, who led the delegation to the NHRC, also sought time with the Prime Minister to bring to his attention the `unprecedented situation' created by an epidemic outbreak of diseases killing hundreds of tribals who have no access to doctors or medicines.

The party has made a detailed list of names of those who have died mentioning the name of their `mandal', with Visakhapatnam alone accounting for 936 deaths, Mr. Naidu said. He added that the TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu had already demanded that a `health emergency' be declared and the Government wake up and deal with the situation on a war- footing.

In its memorandum to the NHRC, the TDP said that apart from Visakhapatnam, other affected districts were Vizianagaram, Ranga Reddy, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, West Godavari, Guntur, Anantapur and Medak.

The TDP demanded that all vacant posts of doctor and para medical staff in these districts be immediately filled; additional staff be diverted from other districts; immediate relief package be given to all families in the affected areas; this package should include 30 kg of rice, 3 kg of dal and two mosquito nets.